Author: Chief Editor

Lagos, Kano, and 10 other states have concluded plans to start generating power in their respective states in conformity with the Electricity Act 2023. The PUNCH gathered on Thursday that some of these states had established their electricity market laws and were waiting for the approval of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to have independent regulatory bodies different from the NERC owned by the Federal Government. As the states stepped up efforts to generate electricity, the Federal Government’s 240 per cent power tariff hike for consumers in Band A enjoying 20-hour electricity attracted more condemnations on Thursday. Groups including the…

The Federal Government, on Friday, insisted on the 240 per cent hike in tariff payable by power consumers in the band ‘A’ category despite calls for its reversal. It also revealed that the subsidised power pricing regime would be for the short term, with a transition plan to achieve a full cost-reflective tariff within a period of three years. However, the decision did not go down well with the Nigeria Labour Congress, which told the Federal Government to prepare for the consequences of the tariff hike, which it described as wicked and unpopular, stressing that since the government preferred to…

Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, on Thursday, instituted a case of defamation of character against the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams. The suit marked I/406/2024 was filed before an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan. The suit followed an earlier threat by Igboho to sue Adams for allegedly accusing them of plotting an assassination. When contacted over the latest development on Thursday, Adams’ Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Aderemi, said,”Iba Gani Adams was never served any process. The legal team of Aare Onakakanfo will handle the matter. Immediately we receive court process, there…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, on Wednesday, said it would begin a pilot phase of the student loan scheme with applicants from public tertiary institutions. This includes students of federal and state universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. It also expects President Bola Tinubu to soon appoint a chairperson, a Managing Director and two Executive Directors as part of its executive management team. The spokesperson for the Fund, Mr Nasir Ayitogo,   affirmed this to our correspondent on Wednesday, citing the provisions of the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, which Tinubu signed into law,…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has approved an increase in electricity tariff  for customers under the Band A classification. The Vice Chairman, NERC, Musliu Oseni, said the increase will see the customers paying N225 kilowatt per hour from the current N66. PUNCH Online notes that customers under Band A are those who enjoy 20 hours of electricity supply daily. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Oseni said customers in Band A represent a 15 per cent of the 12 million electricity customers in the country. He added that the commission had also downgraded some customers on the…

President Bola Tinubu declared the probe into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) closed and lauded Jim Obazee who was the special investigator.  Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said this in a Friday statement. “President Bola Tinubu thanks Mr Jim Obazee, former Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), for his services as the Special Investigator of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other related entities, upon his appointment on July 28, 2023,” the statement read. “The President commends Mr. Obazee for the dedication and professionalism he exercised in handling the complexities of this critical national…

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS), is set to unveil an advanced version of the national identity card, endowed with payment capabilities to support a wide array of social and financial services. This next-generation card, fueled by the AfriGO national domestic card scheme, represents a significant leap in identification technology. Kayode Adegoke, NIMC’s Head of Corporate Communications, revealed these details in a recent announcement. The card, designed in accordance with the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, will serve multiple purposes for Nigerians and…

The Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Lateef Adebimpe, on Friday, announced that all was set for the coronation of the Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, as the new Olubadan of Ibadanland. Oba Adebimpe made this announcement while speaking with newsmen shortly after members of the Olubadan-In-Council visited the next Olubadan at his private residence at No 1, Cassia Street, Alalubosa Government Reserved Area in the Ibadan South West Local Government Area of Oyo State. Oba Olakulehin, on Friday, made his first public appearance since the death of the late 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, who reigned for two years…

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland is the world’s top striker, and he defended the Norwegian’s performances after former Manchester United captain Roy Keane criticised him. Haaland, who scored 36 goals in the Premier League last season, made little effect in City’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal on Sunday, and Keane thought the 23-year-old’s overall play was far below Premier League standards. “His general play is so poor, and not just today. I think he has to improve that, he’s almost like a League Two player,” Keane said on Sky Sports after Sunday’s game. Guardiola said he disagreed with…

Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC), criticized the perceived career aspirations of Nigerian youth in politics. In a recent interview on Channels Television, Sowore stated his belief that young Nigerians are overly focused on securing appointments as personal assistants to governors and presidents, rather than seeking leadership roles themselves. Sowore’s comments come in the wake of the inauguration of Senegal’s new president, 44-year-old Bassirou Diomaye Faye. This event, according to Sowore, highlights the need for a similar shift in Nigerian politics. He argues that Nigerian youths are content with “tag-along” positions, neglecting the pursuit…